Sweaty tomato face in the gym!

Right, I know the point of going to the gym is to work out, get sweaty etc but I swear nobody in the whole gym looks as bad as me at the end of a session! I'm naturally fairly pale but I'll go deep red, my hair is literally soaked through, I can wring it out at the end like I've been in the shower. I know I shouldn't care, but I do.
When I go with my friends they'll get a sweat on my absolutely NOTHING in comparison. Their hair won't even get wet!
Is this just down to being unfit or being unlucky?!
«1

Replies

  • JenniDaisy
    JenniDaisy Posts: 526 Member
    Why do you even care? Literally no one else cares about how red you are.
  • nzchikky
    nzchikky Posts: 304 Member
    This kinda made me laugh cos my sister called me sweaty beetroot face lol. Did u only just start exercising? My face would always be bright red when I first started but it went away after a while. Im just sweaty face now.
  • lemonsurprise
    lemonsurprise Posts: 255 Member
    I know I shouldn't but seriously, when you're with 4 friends who look pristine and you're the one who looks like you've been in a boiling hot shower for the last hour you can't help but feel it!

    And yes I have only just started working out! Well, about 2 weeks ago, been at the gym every day. Hopefully it'll pass in time then! Thanks!
  • IvyLuci
    IvyLuci Posts: 117 Member
    It's not necessarily that you are unfit (I don't know you or your workout routine so can't say one way or the other). You just probably run a bit warmer than other people so your body tries harder to cool you down. I also change colours and sweat a lot, even when the workout is not that hard. It has decreased with the loss of weight but I doubt it will ever disappear. I can't say that I'm that bothered by it. I make sure I have a towel with me, that I take a shower before going among non-gym people, and I try to wash my clothes with vinegar, I've heard that it helps them not get too gym-stinky.
  • dammitjanet0161
    dammitjanet0161 Posts: 319 Member
    Right, I know the point of going to the gym is to work out, get sweaty etc but I swear nobody in the whole gym looks as bad as me at the end of a session! I'm naturally fairly pale but I'll go deep red, my hair is literally soaked through, I can wring it out at the end like I've been in the shower. I know I shouldn't care, but I do.
    When I go with my friends they'll get a sweat on my absolutely NOTHING in comparison. Their hair won't even get wet!
    Is this just down to being unfit or being unlucky?!

    You have described exactly how I am at the end of a workout. I could never be one of those lucky women who is able to just pull her hair back in a ponytail and trot off to work after the gym without needing to wash her hair, I go bright beetroot red and the front and back of my t-shirt is wringing wet too (thank goodness for technical fabrics which at least don't look as bad when they're soaked).

    It's the curse of having pale skin, plus the amount a person sweats is pretty much down to the number and placement of sweat glands in their body - not really due to being unfit.

    When I was younger and fitter I was interested in training as a group fitness instructor, but this issue actually deterred me from it because I was scared that nobody would take me seriously as a fitness instructor because of how red and sweaty I always got (it wasn't the only reason I didn't go for it in the end, but it did play a part). Other than that, nowadays I don't give a flying **** about it when I work out, because I go to the gym to work hard and don't care how I look.
  • lunalee84
    lunalee84 Posts: 372 Member
    I am not sweaty, but I am a tomato face girl. Always have been regardless of my level of fitness ( I used to be super fit and would still turn bright red). It can be embarrassing when people always look at me like I'm dying 10 seconds after starting working out. It's just my skin I guess so I try not to stress about it. I have just learnt that I need to make sure I don't 'schedule' anything too soon after a workout as my face stays red for a little while.
  • nzchikky
    nzchikky Posts: 304 Member
    No probs. I'm no expert but that's just from my experience :)
  • crispsandwich
    crispsandwich Posts: 177 Member
    I always go red and sweaty - my sister does too, and the redness doesn't fade for hours! x
  • loribethrice
    loribethrice Posts: 620 Member
    I have rosacea and when I work out my face is dark red and I look like someone burnt me. It makes me very self-conscious. I just tell myself that it's temporary and will fade once I cool down and sometimes I'll go splash water on my face.
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,371 Member
    I am fair skinned and I go beetroot red too when exercising. I often get asked if I am okay....lol. Nothing to do with being unfit, okay maybe a little but regardless of how fit you are, you will always go quite red due to the fair skin.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    i've recently started running - i'm fine when i'm doing it, when i stop i just turn into a giant pool of red faced sweat!
  • otter090812
    otter090812 Posts: 380 Member
    Yep, it gets pretty messy with me too. I figure, so long as I'm not actually flicking sweat onto other gym members, it's not their business and they shouldn't care.
  • ajnb88
    ajnb88 Posts: 339 Member
    Lol, if I look down halfway through while on the elliptical trainer, sweat actually splashes onto the machine, starts to make a little puddle. Afterwards I look... well, to be honest, like I've been working out.

    I've noticed a lot of people in my gym do very short shifts on cardio stuff, like 5-10 mins. Especially if they're with a friend and basically just chat while having a leisurely stroll. If that's part of their routine, then fine - but I don't expect to look as fresh and pristine as them after my hour and a half sweating like crazy.
  • sheahughes
    sheahughes Posts: 133 Member
    I tend to go bright red after my work out - I drove home from work after today's PT session and by the time I was home my face looked like I had some serious sunburn going on.

    I figure it's just my body doing it's thing to cool me down - all that blood pumping close to the surface of my skin to benefit from the cooling effect of sweat evaporation (or whatever).

    I also experience it after mowing the lawn...
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I don't get that sweaty, but I definitely turn red when I'm working hard. :blushing:
  • AngelAura777
    AngelAura777 Posts: 225 Member
    I have been working out for about 3 years now and my face still goes bright red and I get really sweaty! I wonder the same thing how can people not sweat so much! Instead of getting self conscious I just put it down to that they arent making enough effort and if im sweating that means im doing a great workout!
  • GertrudeHorse
    GertrudeHorse Posts: 646 Member
    I am the same. I can wring out my hair and clothes after a good run. My best strategy is to just wear light clothes that whick moisture away, turn the fan on at the gym, drink lots of very cold water, and embrace the fact I look like I'm working ten times as hard as everyone else :drinker:
  • LiftAndBalance
    LiftAndBalance Posts: 960 Member
    If you still look good working out, you're doing it wrong :drinker:
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    If you still look good working out, you're doing it wrong :drinker:
    Speak for your self please.
  • Matt_1972
    Matt_1972 Posts: 56 Member
    Check out Number 2
    http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/conditioning/a/aa052001a.htm
    I myself am a red faced sweaty sweater. One of the guys who works at the gym commented on it once. I gave him the look and he hasn't said anything since.
  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
    I get sooooo red faced I scare people. Folks at the gym have asked me if I am ok. I even get red faced in the pool. Always have....probably always will. It has nothing to do with my fitness level either. It's been this way my whole life.
  • DannehBoyy
    DannehBoyy Posts: 546 Member
    I get this too. I only get it when i run though, not when doing weights. I like it though because when it happens i know i have had a good workout, and i imagine that's what other people are thinking to :P
  • tkphotogirl
    tkphotogirl Posts: 245 Member
    I look like I've been for a swim by the time I'm done! Tomato face did ease up a bit - it was ridiculous for the first couple of weeks though.
  • Emiliebeauchamp
    Emiliebeauchamp Posts: 228 Member
    I get red too but it doesn't bother me one bit. It only proves that I had a great workout!
  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
    Well, obviously i don't go Red :laugh: but i do sweat a hell of a lot after a Workout!
    Actually dripping from head to toe.
    But sweating is actually good for the body, so i wouldn't worry about it.
    I doubt anyone at your Gym notices your Redness anyway....you're at the Gym, so sweating isn't exactly out of the ordinary!
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    I'm often pretty wrecked by the time I finish my workouts, particularly when I finish with cardio. I wouldn't worry about it.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Same here - and I feel it's a sign of a good workout. Look, here's the real deal, we're all different. I know some people who sweat buckets just standing in a warm room and some who barely sweat. I'm more of a scalp sweater too so it doesn't really "look" like I sweat much, while my gym buddy has a soaking wet shirt - it's something we joke about all the time. And I get that beet red look too, especially when I run or do any other intense workouts. And it's been mildly embarrassing a couple of times but only because people were worried for me (like they thought I'd stroke out or something).

    You really do just have to stop caring. No one should be ashamed of who you are and how your body reacts. It's just the way it is. Be you, and enjoy your time in the gym with your friends!
  • fitby44
    fitby44 Posts: 276 Member
    I also get tomatoey and sweaty and I cycle as my main mode of transportation. I have to give myself a good half hour to cool down and freshen up before my work day begins. I will be red for hours depending on how far I've cycled. One thing I've found that works really well is this pressed powder Clinique makes called Redness Solutions. It has a green tint to it which counteracts the red and it's amazing. They have a Redness Solutions face cream, but I wouldn't bother with that. I haven't found that it works very well at all. Definitely not worth it.

    Hope that doesn't come off as advertising, but I wanted to mention the powder because it works so well and might help someone out.
  • mymodernbabylon
    mymodernbabylon Posts: 1,038 Member
    I'm a sweaty tomato face girl as well. I accept it and think of it as my badge of hard work.
  • I get that when I run, especially when it's warm out. Stay red-faced for at least an hour after, too. I stick to lifting during the day so that I can go back to work without having to get ready from scratch.